ziggy, i'm so sorry. sending love and prayers

Ziggy, this is horrific.  No house, no job, no where to sleep?!  What public resources are there? Are there shelters go go to?  Do you have family or friends to stay with.  Do you have friends who need shelter too so that you could pool together and help each other put something together?  Are all of the hotels and motels full?   

Your whole life is going to change now into a clean slate. It's going to be a long haul recreating a normal world. What resources to you have? What funds?  Do you have a plan?  A  partner?  Pets? So many questions.  I'm glad you have good work skills and can put things together as you have in the past.

Seriously. I would like to know what we can do to reverse  this nightmare

I'm sure you are swamped but when you can answer these questions.  We can send clothing or something.  You just let me know and I will see what I can do.

With heart,

Cheddy

My house has completely burned to the ground.  I am a victim of the Camp Fire in California.

Paradise and Magalia are completely gone.  I am homeless.  Lost my job at the hospital cause its gone.  Still have my other sales job but no where to sleep.

Update later.

I am waaaay more afraid of catching the actual flu (or a disease that I am not inoculated against) than i ever would be of getting the inoculation itself! Way too many risks in it for me if i actually catch a bad flu. When I was younger and never/rarely got the flu, I was lackadaisical - now that I am older, and started to catch flu's, I changed my long-kept tune - i now, very willingly, line up for my flu shot! Most of the time the flu shots work for most people, at least to some degree, if they should not protect you enough from actually getting a flu then they can at least minimize the severity of the flu you do get. If we keep having big pandemics, I've hedged my bets - i will be a survivor!  C.

Ziggy65 wrote:

---

Thanks Tigs...

I guess Im getting my first flu shot ever.....UGH

---

 let us know how the adventure goes, i'm sure you'll be fine-lottsa ppl get them

Thanks Tigs...

I guess Im getting my first flu shot ever.....UGH

The flu shot won’t impact your treatment or test results. Aside from the occasional soreness at the injection site, they don’t cause any difficulties and are recommended. They only protect you from the strain(s) included in the vaccination, not all strains lurking our streets. They determine what strain is most likely to affect the general population and develop the annual vaccine to fight it, not all.

ugh. a surgery ctrwould have to be moe careful. so sorry about this for you.

Question:

I have two part time jobs.  One of my jobs is for three hours in the mornings doing clerical work at a hospital in an outpatient surgery center.

They are wanting me to get a flu shot.  I am the only one in thus dept that has refused it.  I am against it.  But, if I don't get it, I have to wear a mask at my desk for the whole time I am there.

What are the cons as far as it effecting my bloodwork, liver, etc...?

Suggestions?

-- Edited by Ziggy65 on Tuesday 9th of October 2018 01:17:48 AM

Zig,

Just to get back to you about your ques. on your WBC counts (higher eosinophils % and your lower lymphocytes %) - actually, at the moment, you note it is only the eosinophil % that is on the high side - there is no accompanying indication of what your lab considers "normal range" - your lymphocytes may not have been that low (prior), and your eosinophils, past or now, may not be that elevated. Ask your lab and doc how much from normal they might be out of wack and why.

As long as you are feeling OK (that is the main thing), just ask the doc about your WBC's next time you see him - when you go for bloods again (I hope you do manage to get the ones repeated I already mentioned below) you can ask if they plan to do the WBC's again as well. In my book anything that has been out of range (if it holds any possible significance) and there is no easy, obvious explanation for it, and it does not just resolve on it's own, then any persisting out-of-range test result should be repeated in future, until it has normalized or can be explained.

Your doc would have been acting on your blood tests results if he was concerned about any of the results anyway, so i would not be fretting unduly. But that is not to say you should just forget it - inquire with him as to why these percentages are up or down, by how much, and why they do that - then you'll have less mysteries. We aren't docs, so we can't know the answers, the docs can guess good, but they can't tell us what they think if we don't ask them the questions.

Back in a July 1 post I made to you (below), we had already kinda glossed over your first WCB results, there i mentioned it can be explained by something as simple as having allergies/allergic reactions/asthma and such (or dealing with infections of some sorts).

So, as long as you are feeling well/OK/not sick ... then just be sure to follow-up on these labs (all of them) at the appropriate opportunity, as a matter of course. 

I don't know if you ever mentioned things like this before, if you have any allergy type-things going on with you normally, on a regular basis or not, if you have asthma or other such things, but if your WBC counts keep showing that your lymphocyte % is little low, and eosinophil % is little high, then they could look for blame on fighting things like infections/allergic-type things. 

You are looking better and better everyday - what a world of difference from where you were pre-treatment, now sporting lovely cured-up labs like these - stupendous! Quite smokin too! Allll-most the epitome of perfect!  C. 

I'm so very happy for you, Ziggy.  Well done!  What a relief it is to be getting on.

Congratulations Ziggy, you must be over the moon. What wonderful news!

YAY!! Congrats Ziggy!!

Aw! and ahhhhh.  Beauty SVR12 Zig. All as it should be. Rest easy now. Another special day and milestone for you. 

How ya feelin' ? I am betting you are feelin pretty dang fine! You are VERY official now. Good beans.  C.

So, in about another 12 weeks from now try to have them give you another set of labs for your SVR24 - all as below, repeat the VL, get an AFP, as well as the LFT's, an iron load, and maybe a repeat GGT, as well, start getting them to agree to repeating your U/S's and fibroscans if you can. 

wo0h00 ziggy

Those are excellent, Ziggy! Especially that one at the top! Congratulations, Warrior, SVR12 it is. You are officially rid of the Beast that tried to destroy you. What a special day!

Sorry for the delay.

I have not forgotten you guys.  (Your always on my mind !!!).

Ugh... life.  Okay, so ......  here are my bloodwork results 3 months after 8 week treatment on Mavyret:

TREATMENT DATES:  4-11-18 TO 6-5-18.

BEFORE TREATMENT BLOOD WORK - 2-16-18

• Fibrosis F2
• VL 9,400,000
• ALP 105
• ALT 136
• AST 64
• Ferritin Level 360
• Iron Level 240
• % Iron Saturation 60
• FibroMeter Alpha 2-Macroglobulin 502
• FibroMeter Alanine Aminotransferase 128
• FibroMeter Aspartate Aminotransferase 66
• FibroMeter Gamma Glutamyl Trans 64
• RBC 5.74
• HGB 17.3
• HCT 50.9
• Auto Eosinophil Percent 10.4
• AFP Total Carcinoma 19
• ANA Anti Nublear Anitbody Screen Positive
• ANA Antibody Pattern Speckled
• ANA Antibody Titer 1:80

QUIT SMOKING CIGGS COMPLETELY ON 3-28-18 BEFORE TREATMENT EVEN STARTED.

4TH WEEK TREATMENT BLOOD WORK - 5-9-18

• Fibrosis F2
• VL - NON DETECTED
• ALP - 97
• ALT - 24
• AST - 14
• Hemochromatosis MD C282Y - Negitive
• Hemochromatosis MD H63D - Negative
• Hemochromatosis MD S65C - Negative
• Ferritin Level
• Iron Level - 132
• Iron Binding Capacity 353
• % Iron Saturation - 37
• RBC - 4.97
• HGB - 15.1
• HCT - 43.2
• Auto Eosinophil Percent 11.2 H

8TH WEEK TREATMENT BLOOD WORK - 6-6-18

 Fibrosis F2

• VL - NON DETECTED
• ALP -102
• ALT - 29
• AST - 22
• Ferritin Level - 227
• RBC - 4.96
• HGB - 14.9
• HCT - 43.2
• Auto Eosinophil Percent 11.5 H (Don't know what this is and would welcome a definition)
• Auto Lymphocyte Percent 14.5 L (Don't know what this is and would welcome a definition)

3 MONTHS AFTER TREATMENT BLOOD WORK - 8-27-18

• VL - NON DETECTED
• ALP -93
• ALT - 24
• AST - 15
• Ferritin Level -  (Where is this again)?
• RBC - 5.06
• HGB - 15.4
• HCT - 43.6
• Auto Eosinophil Percent 12.6  (The only thing in bold out of normal range)

I kin hardly wait !! - if you left a piece of cake beside me and said save it to last, would I be able to wait?, or if I got a gift wrapped package early, could i wait to open it on the occasion - NO!! Hurry up eh!  C.

With good LFT’s and your previous undetected results, I know this will be the success you want it to be! Keep us informed and get ready to dance! 

yay ziggy! normal is def good

awesome that you got in early .

I got on the cancelation list and got in today.  I will post my results later cause Im in bed right now typing with my finger on my cell phone.

BUT.....  my 3 month wait cure date after 2 months of Mavyret treatment bloodwork is all remarkably NORMAL !!!!

Canuk......Truckin....You can say...Im an old leftover generation Dead Head.

-- Edited by Ziggy65 on Wednesday 12th of September 2018 01:51:32 AM

Well said!

Ziggy, all that means is you get to stick around and let us keep your mind occupied for a few more weeks! Don't worry, the news will be even sweeter by then...   Waiting is always the hardest part of this, but the payoff is always worth the wait!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m055T9N-jtM

 C.

aweeeee zig . oh well, by then your results will be a longer svr cleared

My apt has been postponed (by the office -not me).

So... Instead of the 6th...it is the 27th.  The next soonest apt they had open at this time.

Therefore, I will be posting my results at a later date.  Until then....keep on truckin.....

Hey Ziggy,

You’re close enough to the actual +12 date that doing it a few days early won’t make a difference in my opinion. They often draw those blood tests a few days early or late, due to weekends or vacations, etc., so I would say, do it when it’s most convenient for your schedule. Either way, I’m sure the results will be the same, undetected, SVR. This is the test that makes it official! 

Yes, that’s me, the scruffy one. Back in the day that beard was much darker and the hair reached my shoulders. I was the biker without the bike, never could afford a HD when I associated with that bunch of Beer drinkers and Hell raisers! I did however, do plenty of the rest. I had a lot of fun, but will deny everything if caught, lol!  

Canuk...

Are you saying its best to wait and draw next week?  If so, thats no problem.  I leave on Thurs 30th...so doing the draw on the 29th.....I can do.

Hey Zig,

We were just debating whether he was part Santa too.

So, happy days, SVR12 coming right up!

With your EOT being June 6, then .... exactly 12 weeks from June 6, would be Aug 29 (Wednesday). 

I can't stand the waiting! Yes, yes, tomorrow (if you want) that would make it "nearly" SVR 12, but truly nearer to SVR 11 though!!, or, you could wait until Tuesday Aug 28, that would also be a very good day for a draw (nice and close to your actual EOT+12 week SVR date of Aug 29)!

But please do have bloods drawn soon though, so i (we) can party over the results soon or ASAP. Of course,  it's up to you when .... some people can save their cake to last, look at it, savour the idea of this treat in their minds instead of in their mouths just as rewardingly (not me), I gotta have the real deal as soon as i can to slavour over, oh man I kin almost taste that SVR, can't you!?  C.

Wow, is that you Tig?  You look like an old biker ex boyfriend of mine... lol.  Well, good to see a pic of ya.

My SRV date is set for Sept 6th.  I will be working my last music festival of the year during Labor Day Weekend, then I am driving back on Monday the 3rd.  Can't wait to find out if I am a HEP C survivor as well as a breast cancer survivor.  

I am trying to decide if I should go to my blood work tomorrow or next week on Tuesday.  But I definitely want to have it drawn before my festival.

Therefore, I will have my SRV RESULTS up the second week of Sept 2018.

WOOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thinking of you guys....

Hey Ziggy,

Good to hear from you! It must be nice to see your energy returning, especially when your friends and family see it happening. 

Be sure to let us know those results when you get them. We all have our Dragon stomping dance shoes, at the ready!

I haven't forgotten about you guys.

I think about you all the time.

One more month until my cure date bloodwork test to see if Im cured.

Everyone says I have way more energy now and they can see the difference in me.

I see some new peeps in here.  This is the place to be.  Tig and Canuk are awesome.

Hi Ziggy,

Glad yer back (for now) until the next festival - that does sound like a good trade, what you are doing, "working" the festivals, especially if you have camping down to an art.

How are you feeling?? Are you still smokeless? Hope it was only fun, not too hot, no mud, good food and nice people.  

About your pre-treatment labs ... yes, as Tig pointed out, the "FibroMeter" called for these "components" (ALT/AST/GGT) and more. Your other pre-treatment ALT/AST were drawn probably just with a standard version of a LFT "panel" - so, bonus!, you got to see both the ALT/AST result twice (and yes, as STL notes, both sets were fairly close too).

Many of these kinds of tests (or parts of these tests) can help to assess kidney function, liver function, fibrosis ... all good reasons we see proteins being looked at. (For 5's ques. as well) here is more on AlphaMac2, proteins, fibrosis testing, and more:

Way back when, Tig posted a really good review one, all about "proteins" (if you are studying up on things) ... Liver Disease Awareness 101-Globulins

In the "family" of fibrosis testing ... About FibroMeter - another fibrosis test 

More reading ... About fibrosis markers - how they can use Mac-2 blood tests

There are so many tests, for many overlapping reasons ... such as the "FibroSpect" ... About FibroSpect - another fibrosis test

Aside from your labs, let us know what your GGT, AFP, iron sat, ferritin is next time you get tested. I would not be surprised to see some of these staying at a lower level (and/or continuing to drop) compared to what they were pre-treatment. I am not surprised that your high iron load and saturation improved, the same thing happened to me - but I am glad they tested you, thoroughly, as we can see by your pre-treatment labs, to rule out any other reason (genetic or otherwise) for this temporary hemachromatosis abberation. I think your doc is right, your liver already seems to be functioning very well indeed! Aside from letting us know these ongoing labs, let us know what they have planned for you as far as having repeat U/S's and fibroscans.

As far as those other bloods, WCB's, easo's, etc, Tig is right, if they were very odd your doc would be on them, if we watched them from minute to minute they would be fluctuating for a million possible reasons, sometime easo's do with allergic reaction type things too. 

Ah, the new normal, off doing life at neat venues and with NO more bad hitchhikers in tow!  C.

Yes, my blood work BEFORE I started treatment was...

ALP    105 (Normal Range)

ALT    136 H

AST     64 H

~

and the FibroMeter stuff.....

FibroMeter Alanine Aminotransferase ALT     128H

FibroMeter Aspartate Aminotransferase A     66H

FibroMeter Gamma-Glutamyl Trans GGT     64H

~

My Hep C Dr was testing me for other issues such as Hemochromotisis which she swore I had.  After it had all disappeared she was bewildered.  Her statement to me was, "your liver seems to be functioning properly now."  I really don't know what all these blood work terms mean or what they stand for.

Thanks Tig,  Just looked and thought it seemed odd for Ziggy to have two different readings within the same test results. I was curious, but whatever was the case it does make sense getting two different - but close readings.

Hi STL,

My impression of the two different (alt/ast) LFT results are probably because the Fibrotest (Fibrometer) is specifically for determining fibrosis stage. The numbers are specific to that test and were likely ran at different times and/or from different tubes. May have been sent to different labs, too. 

Good one Ziggy, sounds like your "work" is great. A Job to kill for.

those blood test knowledgeable folk, with the bloods I am confused by the

BEFORE TREATMENT BLOOD WORK

• ALT 136
• AST 64

yet further down they seem to be repeated but with slightly different results.

• FibroMeter Alanine Aminotransferase 128
• FibroMeter Aspartate Aminotransferase 66

Are these two different types of test checking for same thing?

Yes Tig,

If there is anything missing out of my blood work thats not posted please let me know.  Or, if there is anything that doesn't make sense. 

Thanks for everything guys.

I'm still around.

Ziggy

i'd like to know what this one is >>> Alpha 2-Macroglobulin 

mine was 400 in January '18. [the note said it was high but not what it is]

-- Edited by 5-1-18 on Saturday 30th of June 2018 07:46:39 AM

Thanks for the information and personal update, Ziggy! Sounds like you had a great time at Festival One and now on to Two! That’s my kind of Summer. Enjoy all that activity while you’re still young, lol! The word WORK makes me want to take a nap, ha.

I‘ll take a look at all those numbers and decipher them best I can. Canuck May beat me to it, but one thing is they look good. The auto easo’s and lymphocytes are a small part of the White blood cell family. They rise and fall with any number of things, colds, flu, infection, too many to count. Your doc will let you know when things aren‘t right and they haven’t, so enjoy the music!

Talk to you soon. Good luck and congratulations again!

ziggy , thanks for the awesome updates,woohoo ! i will be tested the beginning of oct for my 3month post tx score, and stl is in Oct. too.

...

Hey guys...I'm back !!!

Canuck:  To answer your question... is it fun to work at my music festivals.  YES IT IS.  I have been doing this for almost 20 years.  These festivals are where you can purchase a ticket and camp out and do nothing but see live bands for the whole weekend.  What I do is volunteer so I don't have to buy a ticket, I work for my ticket.  So, I get there early... I was in a tent for 6 nights.  I work reggae and bluegrass festivals.  This one was a world music fest almost all reggae.  I got to park the vendors on Weds and then do  backstage security on Thursday then I was done with work.  Then I had Fri, Sat and Sun to do my photography and enjoy my bands.  It's a blast.  Music is my passion.

Tig:  Thanks for all your advice, help, tips and etc....

As a review:  I started my first ever Hep C treatment on April 11th, 2018.  Mavyret 8 week treatment.  I had never done a Hep C treatment ever before.  My last day of treatment was June 6th, 2018.  My symptoms were undetectable after the first 4 weeks of treatment as well as the last 8th week of treatment.  I will be tested once again in Sept 2018 to see if I am considered cured.

Here is what you have all been waiting for:

BEFORE TREATMENT BLOOD WORK

• Fibrosis F2
• VL 9,400,000
• ALP
• ALT 136
• AST 64
• Ferritin Level 360
• Iron Level 240
• % Iron Saturation 60
• FibroMeter Alpha 2-Macroglobulin 502
• FibroMeter Alanine Aminotransferase 128
• FibroMeter Aspartate Aminotransferase 66
• FibroMeter Gamma Glutamyl Trans 64
• RBC 5.74
• HGB 17.3
• HCT 50.9
• Auto Eosinophil Percent 10.4
• AFP Total Carcinoma 19
• ANA Anti Nublear Anitbody Screen Positive
• ANA Antibody Pattern Speckled
• ANA Antibody Titer 1:80

4TH WEEK TREATMENT BLOOD WORK

• Fibrosis F2
• VL - NON DETECTED
• ALP - 97
• ALT - 24
• AST - 14
• Hemochromatosis MD C282Y - Negitive
• Hemochromatosis MD H63D - Negative
• Hemochromatosis MD S65C - Negative
• Ferritin Level
• Iron Level - 132
• Iron Binding Capacity 353
• % Iron Saturation - 37
• RBC - 4.97
• HGB - 15.1
• HCT - 43.2
• Auto Eosinophil Percent 11.2 H

8TH WEEK TREATMENT BLOOD WORK

 Fibrosis F2

• VL - NON DETECTED
• ALP -102
• ALT - 29
• AST - 22
• Ferritin Level - 227
• RBC - 4.96
• HGB - 14.9
• HCT - 43.2
• Auto Eosinophil Percent 11.5 H (Don't know what this is and would welcome a definition)
• Auto Lymphocyte Percent 14.5 L (Don't know what this is and would welcome a definition)

I still need to learn more about my bloodwork and what this all means.

I'll be back in Sept to post again.

Ziggy

Wonderful to have that EOT UND under your belt before you are off for your music festival work.  Have a good time (I guess as good as you can when you are living and working out of a tent! Is it fun?) We be waitin right here for ya when you git back. Take 'er as easy as you can though, don't get too hot, too cold, too tired, try to keep eating good, drink lots of water - and DON"T smoke! (I'm trying to help). Yer on a roll girl -  .  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U52qN5MS6hw

...

I am heading out for a week in a tent for 6 nights working one of my music festivals.  Remember?  I didn't want to start the treatment before the summer cause I work at music festivals?  Well, I will be gone for a week.  Leaving Monday at midnight, by myself, truck packed, 5 hour drive.  

I PROMISE... when I get back I will post ALL my 8 week blood work results and update you all on every thing, etc...

You all are awesome.

Everything was still undetected and in normal range but I will still post it all like I always do.

I'll make a video too of my vacation.

Be back in a week...  Peace,

Ziggy...

-- Edited by Ziggy65 on Saturday 16th of June 2018 12:09:18 AM

Come on Ziggy, it’s time for an update! You’ve accomplished so many things in the last two months. You should be feeling very proud of what you’ve been able to do.

I hope you continue to feel great and I want you to expect even more improvements along the way. Slow and steady progress is something to look forward to. Enjoy it, you’ve earned your Dragon merit badge! I’m looking forward to all the good news! 

Congratulations Ziggy!

Please keep us posted on your follow up blood work!

Enjoy your fabulous 'new' life, you've earned it!

BTW Zig,

A few things I meant to catch up on with you! : )

That movie about Chocolat ... hm , sounds familiar but don;t think I have seen it - NOW i will HAVE to google up the trailer and see which/what you refer to, to be sure. It is kinda ringing a bell for me tho - I'll check. 

Funny that, that a character in it has the nomenclature as I.  

Obs too, in fact, made me aware of a famous or infamous "crow" of the same name! (Note Obs's avatar - may tell ya why she knows crows on a first name basis)?

Seems I keep good company, in name.

I am curious about your "champix" review, not the whole experience (you did convey that well), but expressly only how you felt "drug-wise" while you were on Champix - I know they ramp the dose up the first week and then you are on 2 mg total per day (1 -1 mg tab in AM and 1 - 1 mg tab in PM) - how did the drug make you "feel", and did you note ANY useful effect (such as the drug making you "forget" to smoke, or lessen the "thought or urge" to smoke)?

I am not sure we ever talked about your MRI again - did you ever get to read your report on that, or did the doc mention any result from it - I forget if you covered this already.

Also, aside from eosinophils that were a bit elevated, did you say that EVERYTHING else has come to be within norm limits? I know your Iron and sat. level normalized, and of course your LFT's are great. What is your AFP now? Do I recall you saying there was still some "other" blood out of wack? - maybe not.

Lovely days ahead for you, with 2 less things, things you do not need (at ALL!) - no more hep c and no cigs. Yay!  C.

Yay Ziggy!

congratulations, hurray and yippee- yahoo  

I can relate about not being forced to eat until youre good and ready...I am one of those people who consider coffee to be a major food, and was very relieved to be able to return to my cappuccino and ciggy breakfast after treatment.

Youre brave and strong to have given up the cigarettes.

 Alison

You must be feeling great Ziggy. Happy for you. Look forward to seeing your results. Sounds like you've been doing amazingly!